


Alpha's Exceptional Cargo

by Selly_Ripley



Category: Robot Trains (Cartoon), Titipo Titipo, 꼬마버스 타요 | Tayo the Little Bus (Cartoon)
Genre: Dystopian, No Beta We Die Like Characters In My Fics, Not Beta Read, post apocalyptic
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-08-18
Updated: 2020-08-18
Packaged: 2021-03-06 03:21:44
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, Major Character Death
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,617
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25976623
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Selly_Ripley/pseuds/Selly_Ripley
Summary: As humanity's final days near, Hana the mechanic works to insure that society will continue. However, Teo the rail inspector takes exception to Hana's vision of a society of artificially intelligent vehicles.(The story is predicated on the idea that Robot Trains is the post-apocalyptic future of the Tayo and Titipo universe. It attempts to explain the origins of both the Alpha Train and The Virus)
Comments: 4
Kudos: 2





	Alpha's Exceptional Cargo

**Author's Note:**

> NOT for kids. This is a dystopian sci-fi horror, attempting to bridge the universe of Tayo the Little Bus and the Robot Trains universe. 
> 
> The intended audience for this is sci-fi horror fans who have had kids and thus become captive audience to children's media. The disheartening lack of like material leads me to fear I may well be the sole member of that demographic. But if you write or know where I can find that sort of thing please give me recs! (And if you like that sort of thing then stay tuned because I'm working on a human A.U. of the Octonauts which crosses over with the Alien universe...)
> 
> I wrote this back in early March, extremely sleep deprived, sitting in the nursing chair at 3am, between night feedings. I am not proof reading it now, I'm just moving it here to try to gather all my fics up into one place. Read for the morbid curiosity if you'd like!

Hana gazed out the window of the rail office that doubled as her living space while Titipo, Gani and Alpha dawdled along through the rail yard in the distance. Titipo and Alpha stayed confined to the tracks while Gani kept on the road parallel to the tracks, staying as close to his companions as possible.

Alpha could actually leave the tracks, if he had really wanted to.

Alpha reminded Hana of Tayo, back when he and Gani had been young buses. He had young Tayo’s chipper and curious manner. 

Hana had utilized the salvageable components of Tayo’s old memory chips in Alpha’s construction. Alpha didn’t retain Tayo’s memories, but at least, he did seem to retain some of his mannerisms and personality traits.

Now Gani’s red paint was faded and weathered, his voice no longer child-like but tired and wise. He was a patient guardian to Alpha, the rail-yard’s newest addition.

Alpha’s upbeat attitude was a welcome contrast to the perpetual night that had befallen the Earth. The sun was now blotted out by a thick black smog – the consequence of humanity’s wasteful and selfish choices. But it didn’t bother Alpha because he’d never known any different.

It had been years since Hana had left her post at the bus garage along with the remaining buses and relocated to the Choo Choo Town rail station. Teo, the train inspector, had left the rail-yard saying he needed to spend humanity’s final years with his family.

But to Hana, the Trains and Buses were her family.

“Alpha!” Hana called, her own voice sounding aged and tired. “Can you please come here for a bit?” the mechanic stood outside of her quarters on a platform by the tracks.

Alpha pulled up next to her, remaining in his train form. “Please transform into your robot form, Alpha.” Requested Hana.

“Aww, do I have to?” The young train whined. Alpha, the first of his kind as his named denoted, did not like taking on his robot form. It made him stand out.

He’d preferred to imagine that he was just a normal vehicle, like his mentors, Titipo, Gani and the others. It was bad enough being the youngest train without also feeling like an oddity.

Reluctantly, Alpha took on his robot form and stood awkwardly next to the tracks.

“What is it, Hana?” He chimed.  
“I need to give you one last check-up. And then I need to give you something.”

“Last check up?” Alpha asked as Hana went over him with a scanner. “What do you mean?”

“Well,” Said Hana “I need to give you something…something special. And then very soon after that, I’ll need to go away.”

“How long will you be gone?” asked Alpha “And what do you need to give me?”

“It’s…a type of fuel. I designed you so that…with this type of fuel, you’ll have energy that will last for a very long time. You’ll have plenty of energy without ever needing to refuel. And someday, you’ll be able to help other trains do the same. But, I’m going to have to leave here after I give it to you and you won’t see me again. But don’t worry. Gani, Titipo and the others will look after you from now on.”

Hana knew the right moment had come to impart this final gift to Alpha. From Hana’s scans of the area, there wasn’t another human for hundreds of miles. Under current environmental conditions, it wouldn’t be possible for a human being to leave shelter long enough to commute that distance so Alpha now stood no chance of accidentally crossing paths with one.

There were only a handful of humans left on the Earth, and they too would inevitably be gone soon. 

Hana wasn’t as sad about that as most would be. She’d always felt closer to machines than humans anyway. The machines were inherently giving and selfless.

But now there were no passengers left and soon there would be no mechanics or engineers either. If any semblance of society was going to carry on into the future, machines were going to have to be able to use their giving and selfless nature to take care of one another from now on. And Hana was determined to ensure that that was possible.

Alpha’s eyes shined with dismayed sadness “But Hana! I don’t want you to leave!”

She distinctly heard a hint of Tayo’s voice in the young train’s plea.

“Alpha, this world isn’t for humans any more. Humans have not taken good care of it and now we can’t live here any longer. Almost all the humans are gone and now it’s time for me to go to. You vehicles will have to try to do a better job than we did. And in the future, there will need to be more trains like you to help take care of everyone.”

“But no one wants to be a robot train.” Pouted Alpha, somewhat resentful of his creator’s seemly bizarre design choices.

Hana could understand. She imagined, even if humans had developed the technology to modify themselves into some more efficient configuration, they would probably still be much attached to the human form to which they were accustomed. Most would not prefer a phenotype too strange or alien for themselves or their offspring, even if it did afford some new advantages.

Maybe the robot-train design would eventually come to be more accepted. As with human society, advancement would likely be gradual.

But, even a just few robot vehicles among the more conventional models would be sufficient – to look after and repair the others. To be the protectors of society.

As the first, a lot of responsibility would fall on this kid’s shoulders. But, Hana trusted Gani and Titipo to guide him through it. She’d left all of her schematics, all of her research and all of her designs with them. Alpha would eventually grow to be their guardian and caretaker.

Hana finished her exam and tucked her scanner away. She removed her red mechanic’s hat and wiped her brow.

“Everything looks good, Alpha. You can turn back into train form now. I’m going to go get the fuel, but it will take me a minute.”

Hana disappeared down a corridor between shipping containers and returned dressed head to tow in a thick coverall garment along with heavy boots, gloves, and a face shield. She wheeled a large, heavy container on an electric dolly. The trefoil symbol on the container did not mean anything in particular to Alpha.

“Why are you dressed like that Hana?” asked Alpha.

“Your new fuel isn’t safe for humans to get too close to for very long without protective gear. So, you wouldn’t want to get close to any humans, but there isn’t really a risk of that anymore.”

Hana opened the container to reveal within its thick metal walls a series of beautiful luminescent rods.

Hana took her time installing the new fuel source along with the equipment needed for Alpha’s engine to process it.

She then stood up slowly and said weakly “Go on now and tell Titipo that I’ve given you the fuel and that I’m leaving now.”

Even under the heavy protective gear she wore, Alpha perceived that Hana did not seem well.

Alpha hesitated a moment. He wanted to stay and try to help somehow…but then thought better of it and sped off.

He had never felt so full of life and energy.

///

Ten Years Prior

“Hana, please. You shouldn’t be alone at a time like this. There isn’t much time left, and people need to stick together. You can come spend these last few years with my family.” Teo pleaded.

Hana turned from her work on the computer to face the train inspector.

“Alone!?” Replied Hana “Of course I won’t be alone! Someone’s got to take care of the trains and buses!”

“Hana, please…” begged Teo. “The trains and buses… are just machines. They don’t really think and feel like you and me. They’re just…an imitation. They were made for people, by people. It’s people who are important.”

Hana stood up from the computer and crossed her arms in consternation.

“Well I don’t think of them like that! And if you’re not going to stick around, then I have a lot of repairs to take care of. So if you’ll excuse me…”

Hana stormed out of the office passed Teo.

Teo stared at Hana’s computer apprehensively.

He knew all about her big plan. To help enable machines to carry on without humanity. The idea unsettled Teo deeply. Machines were made to serve humans. Without humans, what was their purpose?

The thought of machines mindlessly carrying out their pointless tasks for thousands of years in the absence of humans sent a chill down Teo’s spine. As though…his own soul couldn’t be at rest as long as this hollow echo of humanity persisted.

He sat down at the computer and sifted through Hana’s plans.

He knew a thing or two about programming machines himself.

He read through the designs for Hana’s new new train. This affront to humanity’s legacy would not take place on Teo’s watch. He would insert some code of his own. Teo might not be able to save humanity from their own self destruction, but with a little luck, he could prevent this eternal mockery.

A virus.

It had to be well hidden or Hana would detect it, which meant it would have to lie dormant even after the train’s construction. Like a time bomb. But someday, at the right moment it would be released and hopefully put an end to Hana’s machine society. And then humanity would finally be at peace.


End file.
